Analgesic Effects and Side Effects of Combinations of Morphine and Dextroamphetamine.
Abstract
To evaluate the feasibility of combination drug therapy for postoperative pain, analgesic and other effects of morphine and dextroamphetamine administered together were measured in 450 surgical patients in five Veterans Administration Hospitals using a randomized, double-blind assay. Each patient received one treatment of 3, 6, or 12 mg of morphine sulfate combined with 0, 5, or 10 mg of dextroamphetamine. Analgesia, as measured by the patients' subjective responses to questions about pain relief, was augmented when dextroamphetamine was given in combination with morphine. The effect of the combination on alertness and performance of simple tasks was measured by three tests (finger tapping, simple arithmetic, and symbol copying). In these tests and in measures of side effects, dextroamphetamine generally offset undersirable effects of morphine (sedation, loss of alertness) while increasing analgesia. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 12, 1976
- Accession Number
- ADA023123
Entities
People
- Donald L. Mahler
- Grete Teutsch
- H. Earl Gordon
- Phyllis Shroff
- Raymond Defalque